Xenophon Support Draining as SA Election Draws Closer

Xenophon Support Draining as SA Election Draws Closer

Article excerpt

NICK Xenophon might not win his own seat at this weekend's South Australian state election, a new poll shows.

But the SA-Best leader dodged questions on the leadership arrangement of the party should he fail to pick up the seat of Hartley, where the Galaxy poll has incumbent Liberal MP Vincent Tarzia leading him 51 to 49 per cent in the two-party preferred vote.

Mr Tarzia also polled the highest primary vote at 38 per cent, ahead of Mr Xenophon on 30 and Labor candidate Grace Portolesi on 22.

Mr Xenophon called the contest a "two horse race" and appealed to voters to consider where they directed their preferences.

"My message to Labor and Greens voters is that if they vote for Labor or the Greens in the seat of Hartley they'll effectively be delivering the seat to the Liberals," he said.

He said it was premature to comment on how the party would operate should he not win the seat.

"There'll obviously need to be a parliamentary leader if I don't make it, but I'm not contemplating that," he said. …